1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for medicament stock management by transponders and, more particularly, to a method for managing medicament stock quantity wherein cartridges of a medicament discharging machine are each provided with a transponder for storing a stock quantity of medicament contained in the cartridge such that the stock quantity is updated at each time when medicament discharge or replenishment is made, and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, various methods have been proposed for management of stock quantity of medicament contained in medicament cartridges of a medicament discharging machine for discharging medicament, such as tablets, powder, and ampoule.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-269621, for example, there is proposed an apparatus of such an arrangement that the number of remaining tablets present in each respective cartridge of a plurality of tablet feeders is constantly detected so that when the number of tablets required for a prescription exceeds the number of remaining tablets, an indication is given to that effect.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-60948 of which application was filed by the present applicant, a stock management method is proposed such that an anticipated stock number of tablets for each of a plurality of cartridges is calculated by subtracting the number of tablets required by a prescription from a current stock number of tablets, the cartridges being replenished with tablets when the anticipated stock number of tablets drops below a preset stock number of tablets, whereupon the anticipated stock number is replaced by the replenished number of tablets.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-102168, there is proposed a stock management apparatus such that the stock quantity for each of a plurality of cartridges is retrieved and the resultant data is indicated on a display.
However, in any of the above described prior art, it is necessary to take the trouble of previously key inputting the quantities of medicament to be kept in respective cartridges and, in addition, it is necessary to provide a space for storing information on the quantities held in stock, which necessarily results in a substantial increase in the memory capacity requirement. Another problem with the prior art is that, since manual labor is relied upon for checking the medicament to be replenished with the medicament held in the cartridge, it is possible that a wrong medicament may be supplied for replenishment.